Are Elipsoids RHD/LHD specific? (I may have bought a pair in error)

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  • Nj
    S2Forum Possessed
    • Jan 2007
    • 3420
    • Home: Scotland Current: Finland

    #1

    Are Elipsoids RHD/LHD specific? (I may have bought a pair in error)

    So I had this cunning plan to try fitting elipsoids in my B3 (yes, yes. when I go and collect it from Kit in Wales). Based upon this thread http://www.s2forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52559

    Because Finland is quite dark half of the year and standard coupe/cabby/80 headlights are ****.

    But after sourcing a pair I've realised my cunning plan may be flawed. Because they came from a RHD car and mine is LHD.

    Sooooo... what I'm asking is whether I've been a dumbass and bought a pair of elipsoids that won't work in a LHD country? Or are they switchable like my nice A4 lights?

    If I have been a dumbass then I will probably have a pair of elipsoids for sale rather soon.
    cheers
    --------------------------------------------------------------------
    1990 CQ20v
    2001 3.0 B6 A4 Avant Quattro Sport
  • Nuvo
    S2Forum Possessed
    • Nov 2003
    • 3826

    #2
    I'm afraid you've made a boob Noel. You need specific LHD units for your country.

    Comment

    • Nj
      S2Forum Possessed
      • Jan 2007
      • 3420
      • Home: Scotland Current: Finland

      #3
      ah nuts. answered my own question. they are changeable but requires cutting and welding. I can't weld and i'm most likely to make a bollcks of it and ruin a perfectly nice pair of elipsoids.
      looks like these are for sale then.
      doh!
      --------------------------------------------------------------------
      1990 CQ20v
      2001 3.0 B6 A4 Avant Quattro Sport

      Comment

      • Nj
        S2Forum Possessed
        • Jan 2007
        • 3420
        • Home: Scotland Current: Finland

        #4
        Originally posted by Nuvo
        I'm afraid you've made a boob Noel. You need specific LHD units for your country.
        haha. yeah. sounds like it Rob

        --------------------------------------------------------------------
        1990 CQ20v
        2001 3.0 B6 A4 Avant Quattro Sport

        Comment

        • Nuvo
          S2Forum Possessed
          • Nov 2003
          • 3826

          #5
          How are they changeable? The reflectors are fundamentally different.

          Comment

          • Nj
            S2Forum Possessed
            • Jan 2007
            • 3420
            • Home: Scotland Current: Finland

            #6
            "with difficulty" I believe is the answer
            Forgot the link in the last post
            --------------------------------------------------------------------
            1990 CQ20v
            2001 3.0 B6 A4 Avant Quattro Sport

            Comment

            • Nj
              S2Forum Possessed
              • Jan 2007
              • 3420
              • Home: Scotland Current: Finland

              #7
              And I'm back to wondering how the hell I can improve the headlights in my CQ20v
              --------------------------------------------------------------------
              1990 CQ20v
              2001 3.0 B6 A4 Avant Quattro Sport

              Comment

              • gavs20v
                S2Forum Possessed
                • Sep 2004
                • 3057
                • Country: United Kingdom

                #8
                There is a lever on the back of the headlight which flattens the beam ( not ideal )

                A set of HID's will do the trick as well as simply polishing the lenses

                Gav
                S2 Cabriolet.........

                Comment

                • Zoig
                  S2Forum Maniac
                  • Sep 2008
                  • 555
                  • Country: Estonia

                  #9
                  AFAIK there should be markings on the glass indicating that they are ment for RHD cars, if someone is smart enough they could figure it out during the car inspection.

                  Retrofitting aftermarket ellipsoids into the light should do the trick (2.5" Mini H1 for example) and get you a correct beam pattern, but you would need to figure out how to mount them properly with adapters to the stock mounts or something similiar.

                  Comment

                  • Error404
                    Super Moderator
                    • Mar 2007
                    • 19789
                    • Country: United Kingdom

                    #10
                    relay the headlamps
                    Panthero Coupé quattro 20vt
                    Indigo ABY coupé
                    Imola B6 S4 Avant

                    Comment

                    • GT500
                      S2Forum Fiend
                      • Jun 2006
                      • 2181
                      • Country: United Kingdom

                      #11
                      I can swap them over to lhd. Quite involved but is as it should be.
                      Rob..
                      94 RS2 Noggy,LHD,MTM map,18"cup 1s,245/35/18,Bilsteins,RS2 H&Rs,Cup splitter.
                      87 UR 20v ABY
                      97 S6 Avant
                      96 A6 C4 2.5 TDI quattro avant,Ming,Wietec/eibach,chipped
                      1967 Ford Mustang,Eleanor,460ci v8

                      Comment

                      • quattrodave
                        S2Forum Addict
                        • Dec 2008
                        • 218
                        • Country: United Kingdom

                        #12
                        OK I'm confused as I thought the RHD and LHD elipsoids had the same lenses (as in main outer lenses) but the difference was in the elipsoid unit fitted within the headlamp there is a LHD and a RHD version where the cutoff is in effect opposite like viewing in a mirror ? I believe this is where GT500 does the work to cut and reweld the cutoff part to convert ? (correct me if I'm wrong) as I have LHD elipsoids on my car I swapped 2 RHD inner elipsoid units from an early (might have been late 100) pair of A6 hella RHD headlamps to convert mine so I have 2 x LHD new elipsoid lens units spare.

                        Comment

                        • GT500
                          S2Forum Fiend
                          • Jun 2006
                          • 2181
                          • Country: United Kingdom

                          #13
                          Originally posted by quattrodave
                          OK I'm confused as I thought the RHD and LHD elipsoids had the same lenses (as in main outer lenses) but the difference was in the elipsoid unit fitted within the headlamp there is a LHD and a RHD version where the cutoff is in effect opposite like viewing in a mirror ? I believe this is where GT500 does the work to cut and reweld the cutoff part to convert ? (correct me if I'm wrong) as I have LHD elipsoids on my car I swapped 2 RHD inner elipsoid units from an early (might have been late 100) pair of A6 hella RHD headlamps to convert mine so I have 2 x LHD new elipsoid lens units spare.
                          Yes dead right. Lenses are the same. All done within the elipsoid unit.
                          Rob..
                          94 RS2 Noggy,LHD,MTM map,18"cup 1s,245/35/18,Bilsteins,RS2 H&Rs,Cup splitter.
                          87 UR 20v ABY
                          97 S6 Avant
                          96 A6 C4 2.5 TDI quattro avant,Ming,Wietec/eibach,chipped
                          1967 Ford Mustang,Eleanor,460ci v8

                          Comment

                          • Nj
                            S2Forum Possessed
                            • Jan 2007
                            • 3420
                            • Home: Scotland Current: Finland

                            #14
                            thanks for your input gents. All thoughts of alterations are truly out of the window as the original seller of the units just told me he had a good offer for the whole car and took it. refund for the lights coming my way (and other bits I had agreed and paid for). sucks balls.

                            so anyway, HIDs. I can't fit those in a standard reflector headlamp unit can I? Only in projector units?
                            cheers
                            --------------------------------------------------------------------
                            1990 CQ20v
                            2001 3.0 B6 A4 Avant Quattro Sport

                            Comment

                            • martinjs
                              S2Forum Possessed
                              • Jul 2003
                              • 3205
                              • Country: England

                              #15
                              The spot welded parts are handed, so need splitting and swapping about.

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